Residents of 77 Hudson St. in the Paulus Hook section of Jersey City have decided to revive an old tradition of raising money for charity.

Alyssa Aiello, a resident of the building, said the building previously had run charity events as a marketing tool, benefiting a local charity while helping to draw the attention of prospective residents to the 420-unit building.

“With the building at capacity, we thought it would be nice to do it again,” she said.

The building, a prominent high rise noted for its blue glass exterior, is located on the Hudson River.

“I am currently planning a charity event along with the owner of our concierge service, Diane van Horn (Bravo Concierge), who has been gracious enough to be my co-chair in planning this event,” Aiello said. “Our event is to take place on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. and will benefit both the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) and the Marfan Foundation (www.marfan.org).”

“ ‘An Evening with Heart’ will feature an open bar cocktail reception, a silent auction, wine pull, wine tasting, entertainment, free blood pressure screenings, CPR basics, as well as a children’s education station, and an array of food samplings from some of Jersey City’s finest restaurants,” she said. “We will also be showcasing a documentary entitled, ‘In My Hands: A Story of Marfan Syndrome,’ by famed dancer and Tony award winning choreographer Ann Reinking in the screening room throughout the event.”

An obscure but deadly affliction

Marfan syndrome is a little known connective tissue condition that is characterized by a very tall, thin stature, with disproportionately long legs, arms, feet, and hands. Patients often suffer from a myriad of painful and bothersome complications, but most importantly, undiagnosed problems with the heart valves and aorta can lead to sudden death, as was the case with Olympic volleyball star Flo Hyman and “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson. President Abraham Lincoln and French President Charles de Gaulle were also afflicted with Marfan syndrome, as is the son of Ann Reinking.

The American Heart Association’s mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The Marfan Foundation creates a brighter future for everyone affected by Marfan syndrome and related disorders. They pursue the most innovative research and make sure that it receives proper funding, create an informed public and educated patient community to increase early diagnosis and ensure life-saving treatment, and provide support to families, caregivers, and healthcare providers.

“They will not rest until they’ve achieved victory—a world in which everyone with Marfan syndrome or a related disorder receives a proper diagnosis, gets the necessary treatment, and lives a long and full life,” Aiello said.

While the event will help raise money for a well-established heart research, it will also help raise funds for the smaller, less well-know foundation.

“We wanted to support a smaller foundation,” Aiello said, believing that this would have a greater impact.”

The event will take over the entire 11th floor of the building with the exception of the gym area and will provide ‘A taste of Jersey City’ featuring local restaurants, live entertainment and free blood pressure tests for guests, as well as a number of activities for children.

“In order to make this event as successful as possible,” Aiello said, “we are reaching out to those in our community to assist us in helping both the American Heart Association and the Marfan Foundation so that they can continue to move forward with the important work that they do.”

Aiello said they are hoping to tap some of the corporate wealth that has been drawn to Jersey City over the last few years, asking for Presenting, Diamond, Platinum and Gold Sponsors that would get varying levels of public exposure for their effort and would range in donations from $500 to $5,000.

The event will also sponsor a private auction, and people can also support the event by attending at a $50 per ticket cost or advertise in the event’s journal.

Tickets can be purchased, donations can be made, and sponsorship can be solidified by using the following link. https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=1868d5